


A Dream Within a Nightmare

by batteryboo



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: DreamMare - Freeform, M/M, quick idea, t h i s w a s n t s u p p o s e d t o b e t h i s l o n g
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:01:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24834259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batteryboo/pseuds/batteryboo
Summary: Dream wants Nightmare to open up to him, so he disguises himself as a villager, pretending to be a completely different person.He makes "friends" with Nightmare and manages to get him to tell him what's wrong.The answer he receives is not what he expected.
Relationships: Dream/Nightmare - Relationship, Dreammare
Comments: 10
Kudos: 156





	A Dream Within a Nightmare

It looked as if it was a day like any other.

The villagers were busy as always.

Children playing tag, jumprope, hide and seek, etc.

And the two young guardians sitting right under the tree.

Everything looked perfect at first glance.

Take another look and you'll know it wasn't a normal day.

A normal day for the villagers? Yes.

But for the guardians, no.

There was tension in the air, an uncomfortable silence between the two.

Neither were talking to one another.. 

One too busy, the other lost in thought.

The silence stood for a little while longer until one decided to speak up.

"Nightmare..?"

There was no answer. 

"...Are you okay?"

Still no answer. 

The golden guardian sighed, leaning back up against the tree behind him.

"...You've been very quiet lately..." The golden guardian recalled.

"Do you want to talk..?"

He didn't get an answer. 

The golden guardian let out a huff, leaning against the tree behind him once again.

The two sat in silence for several minutes before one stood up and began to leave.

"...I'm going to the library."

Dream perked up at this, being quick to get up and run after the other.

"W-wait!"

He was too late.

His negative counterpart was already far gone.

Dream sighed, not only from disappointment, but from worry, too.

Why wouldn't he talk to him?

Dream thought about running through the village to find his brother, but decided against it.

The golden guardian slowly turned to walk back to the Tree of Feelings and sat down right under it once he got there.

* * *

It was late.

Nightmare still hasn't returned and Dream had grown tired of waiting.

Dream had just decided to get up and look for his twin when he saw a short figure slowly walking towards him.

Dream recognized this "mysterious" figure almost immediately and rushed over to him, worry filling his body.

As soon as he got close, he realized something was wrong.

He was limping, blood, bruises, and scrapes covering his body.

The golden guardian gasped silently and hurried to get him to the tree. 

As soon as they were under the tree, Dream set his twin down for him to sit.

Dream looked over the injuries, knowing he would be able to heal them.

While he healed his brother, he decided to try to get a few answers out of him.

"What happened?"

"...I...I tripped."

Dream thought about his answer before furrowing his non-existent eyebrows.

"And broke your arm along with getting a very bad bruise? I don't buy it."

Nightmare huffed, trying to think of another excuse but failing.

"Well...I just..." He sighs.

"...Villagers." He mutters.

Dream had a look of surprise before it got waved off completely.

"They need to understand that you're a being with emotions and not a plaything..." Dream whispers underneath his breath, too quiet to be heard.

After Dream finished healing his brother, he had decided that it would be a good idea for them to go to places together instead of individually.

Nightmare didn't seem very fond of the idea and told him to not worry and that he could do things by himself.

Dream knew this, but the risk of Nightmare getting hurt was always a worry to him.

They had drifted off to sleep, the comfort of the other protecting them.

* * *

_Flashback_

Dream had woken up early, leaving the comfort of Nightmare behind as he went to grab some food for the two of them.

As he was leaving the bakery, he spotted a clothing shop.

There was a cloak, a hoodie, and some summer clothing.

Dream stared at them for a moment, pondering over whether or not he should buy them, before deciding to leave them alone for the time being.

Dream returned to a very confused and worried Nightmare.

He stopped in his tracks to watch as his brother searched around for something, frantically.

He let out a sigh and walked towards his brother, setting down the food he had right in front of them.

Nightmare noticed him and almost immediately hugged him.

Dream was a bit confused but didn't ask questions, instead hugging back.

"Where were you?" Nightmare asked worriedly.

Dream hesitated before answering.

"I went to get us some food."

"..Oh."

Nightmare looked rather sad at his answer.

Dream pulled Nightmare into another hug.

The other slowly pulled his arms up to wrap his arms around his brothers back.

They sat there for a little while more, enjoying the other's presence.

Dream pulled away from the other, leaving Nightmare's disappointed expression unnoticed.

"Our food's going to get cold."

Nightmare nodded and hesitantly took a piece of the biscuit he was handed and ate it.

_Flashback End_

* * *

It had been a week.

A full week with Nightmare avoiding Dream.

Dream doesn't know why he's doing this.

They were fine just two weeks ago.

What happened?

He hasn't done anything to upset Nightmare, had he?

He shook his head slightly.

No, he hasn't done anything.

Then why?

Why was Nightmare avoiding him?

Questions danced around in his head, searching for their dreaded answers, but sadly, not being able to find them.

Dream wondered how he could get Nightmare to talk to him.

He could convince him to play a game with him.

No, that wouldn't work.

Hold Nightmare in place as he tries to get an answer out of him?

No, too pushy.

He could make him a friend..

No- wait. 

That could actually work..!

Except, where can he find him a friend? He, unfortunately, has a very low reputation with the villagers, so making him a friend won't be easy at all.

...Unless...

He could pretend to be the friend..?

A bit weird, yes, but it's better than nothing.

He has to get a few answers out of him one way or another.

But first, if he's going to pretend to be somebody else, he can't be looking like... _this._

But where can he find clothes?

...

Oh yes, the clothing shop that just opened two weeks ago.

Dream could vaguely remember the clothing displayed in the window.

Wasn't there a hoodie? Or a cloak? Just something to cover his head and/or eyes?

The golden guardian had decided to go into the village to get the clothes, despite not knowing what to get.

* * *

Dream had arrived at the village and in front of the clothing shop.

He looks through the display window, noticing that the hoodie and summer clothes have been replaced with different clothing.

Just the cloak now.

Dream sighs and walks inside the shop.

He walks up to the cashier and asks how much for the cloak.

* * *

It fits surprisingly well, to be honest.

Though, it kind of covers his eyes.

Not enough for his eyes to be completely covered, but it's fine.

Dream had also taken his circlet off.

He put it in a safe place so it wouldn't get lost.

Dream and Nightmare's safe place.

Nightmare hasn't been there for a while.

Dream doubts he will now.

* * *

It's time for his plan to go into action.

He's going to need to make it seem like he came to Nightmare with pure interest, though.

Now, he just needs to figure out where Nightmare is...

The tree.

Of course he's there. 

Dream wasn't there, so of course he'll be there.

Dream let out a shaky sigh before slowly walking towards Nightmare.

Nightmare didn't seem to notice him at first, but when he did? He looked as if he had just seen a corpse.

Dream stopped in front of him, smiling, and held out a hand.

Nightmare looked at his hand suspiciously before looking up at Dream.

"Who...are you? I don't think I've seen you before..."

Dream paused for a moment, remembering he hadn't thought of a fake name for himself before coming to Nightmare.

Nightmare looked at him quizzically.

"...Kole."

Dream smiled as he said this.

Nightmare could've sworn he recognized that smile, but shrugged it off, thinking that it could just be a coincidence. 

Nightmare smiled shyly at him.

"Nightmare. My name is Nightmare."

"So, uh, I'm a...traveller... and I usually stay around for like a week or two? And I was thinking of making friends this time, so could we be..friends? Yeah, I know we don't know each other at all, but it's getting a bit lonely so I thought that we could try this out?" 

Dream knew that Nightmare didn't have many friends, so he was sure that, as long as he was nice, he could befriend him.

Nightmare looked lost in thought.

Probably deciding whether or not he should befriend this mysterious person.

Based on his attitude so far, he could see that he was most likely a nice person.

He ignored all of his other suspicions of him, looked back up at him, and smiled.

"Sure."

* * *

It had been five days since they became "friends".

Every night, Dream would pretend as if nothing happened and spend time with Nightmare.

Every morning, Dream would disguise as Kole and talk to Nightmare.

They were getting along great.

Though Nightmare still wouldn't tell him anything, Dream felt that he was going to reach his goal soon.

And he did.

One week and three days in, Nightmare had finally opened up.

"Could you tell me what's wrong?" Dream asked hesitantly. 

"...I...feel guilty..." Nightmare started.

"For what?" 

"I feel guilty...because...I like someone in a way I shouldn't..."

Dream thought for a moment. 

"Who may that someone be?"

Nightmare went silent for a second.

"...His- _Their_ name is Dr-" He paused before continuing his sentence. "Dream..." He muttered that last part out.

Dream paused for a moment.

_Him?_

He couldn't stop himself from blushing that bright golden hue.

He covered his face with his sleeves, hoping that Nightmare didn't notice his blushing face.

"Wh-why do you like him?" Dream asked.

He could see Nightmare flush at the question.

"W-well...he... he's nice and cares for me... And he makes me...happy. And it's not just his...aura. And his smile, and the way he looks at me, he's just too much for me to handle. But...I'm avoiding him. Just so I don't get ahead of myself. If I look at him, it becomes hard for me to resist. When I talk to him, he responds and it makes me feel...oddly...happy... But it...pains me to know that he's upset that I'm not talking to him... I just want these feelings to go away.."

Dream finally had his answer, but in a way he didn't think he would get it.

They sat in silence for a bit more, before Nightmare said he had to leave.

Dream was fine with this, wanting to leave himself.

Once he was sure that Nightmare was gone, he took off his cloak, ran out of the village, and picked his circlet up from the spot it was sitting in.

He placed his circlet on his head, adjusting it a bit before running off to the tree.

* * *

He found Nightmare there, looking worried.

Dream knew the reason for this, as it always happened when he was gone.

He walked up towards Nightmare, smiling once he had seen him.

Nightmare looked at Dream, a soft smile making its way onto his face as he tried desperately to hide it.

Dream sat down next to him, humming a happy tune.

* * *

It's been a month.

A month since Dream had known.

Dream doesn't know when he'll confront Nightmare, nor does he think he ever will.

But he has to tell him someday. 

_That's it, I'm going to do it today!_

He keeps telling himself that.

It never happens.

Dream let out a frustrated sigh.

_When is this going to end?_

"Never?" Dream thought aloud.

The golden guardian was so busy with himself that he didn't even realize his negative counterpart in front of him.

"Dream."

He looked up to see his twin brother, Nightmare, standing above him.

"Yes?"

Nightmare shoved an envelope into his hands before walking to the other side of the tree.

Dream looked at the envelope in his hands curiously, opening it.

_'Dear Brother,_

_I would like to say a few things._

_I'm really sorry for ignoring you last month._

_I was just scared._

_Would you like to go to the bakery for an apology?_

_My treat~_

_...And_

_I kind of maybe probably like you?_

_In a different way.._

_..than I should.._

_Does that make sense?_

_Sorry.._

_Nightmare'_

Dream stared at the letter, a surprised look on his face before a soft smile replaces it. 

Dream gets up from the spot he was sitting in and made his way to around the tree.

He sits down next to Nightmare, placing a kiss on his cheek before giving his letter an answer.

"I would love to."

**Author's Note:**

> This book was inspired by Krystal_Twi and Sleepy_fan :)


End file.
